Russia Says Its Forces Downed 158 Ukrainian Drones Overnight Across The Country – News18

Russia said Sunday that it had thwarted a “massive” Ukrainian drone attack by downing 158 drones across 15 regions, including two over the capital Moscow.

A coal-fired power plant near the city was reported hit, as was an oil refinery within the city boundaries.

Russia’s defence ministry said most of the drones — 122 — were downed over the regions of Kursk, Bryansk, Voronezh and Belgorod which border Ukraine.

“Our defenders are repelling an attempted massive UAV attack on the territory of the Bryansk region,” regional governor Aleksandr Bogomaz said.

The barrage comes just days after Ukraine’s energy infrastructure was targeted by over 200 Russian drones and missiles in one of the biggest such attacks.

It is also nearly a month since Ukraine went on the offensive in Russia’s Kursk region, even as Russian troops continue their steady advance in eastern Ukraine.

Both sides have targeted energy infrastructure since Russia began its campaign in Ukraine in February 2022.

A local official in the Moscow region said three drones had tried to hit the Kashira coal-fired power station.

“There were no victims nor damages,” he said, adding that electricity was still reaching clients “correctly”.

Russian news agencies also reported a fire at the Moscow oil refinery in Kapotnya, though mayor Sergei Sobyanin said there was “no damage or casualties”.

In the Belgorod region, governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said: “The glass of three residential buildings in Belgorod is damaged. In one private residence, a utility building was completely destroyed.”

On Wednesday, Ukrainian drones struck two fuel depots, setting them ablaze in southwest Russia’s Rostov region and the northern Kirov region.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)